1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to the field of mounting hardware. More particularly, it pertains to a means of configuring personal electronic computers, i.e., "PCs", desk-top PCs and work stations of all types, so that they are capable of performing a wider range of functions and/or a more intense series of computer transactions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
PCs are fully integrated into virtually all walks of life. There are probably few households that do not have either a PC in the house or one readily accessible nearby. Terms such as "chips",
"ROM" and "megabyte" are as familiar to most as "mother" and "apple pie".
The most familiar type of PC is the "desk top" model. These units are usually used alone. They have one, and often two, disk-drive units integral with the processor as well as a keyboard and a display monitor. When more accessories, such as more disk drives, tape drives, DAT units, floppy drives and CD Roms are desired, they are placed close by the central processor and connected thereto by electrical cables through SCSI (pronounced "scuzzy") connectors. SCSI stands for Small Computer System Interface and includes multipin serial and parallel male and female connectors.
In laboratories, research offices and the like, it is common to interconnect numerous accessories with a computer to obtain maximum benefit of the computer functions. It is not uncommon to see four to eight disk drives, two to three CD Roms, and numerous other devices interconnected to a single processor in order to carry out complex calculations that are inimitable to research and development-type endeavors. This complexing of accessories causes two distinct problems that have not been solved by the prior art and that remain obstacles to wider use of PCs in R & D-type work.
The first problem is that the individual accessories, as well as the computer processing unit (CPU), are electrically driven and generate substantial amounts of heat energy when operated at high duty cycles. This heat generation is not very severe in most family or office uses of the units and the small internal fans supplied with the units are usually sufficient to cool the devices to within a normal operating range. However, as more disk drives are added and the CPU instructed to poll them frequently, and when the CPU is caused to perform enhanced computations, the heat generated is often not sufficiently dissipated rapidly enough with the result that overheat protective processes are caused to initiate. Activation of these processes often cause slowdowns or termination of computations. When these processes are bypassed, it is not uncommon for some units to fail causing the computation to crash, aborting the intended research.
A second problem is that of numbers. As the number of computer accessories rises, the volume occupied by them and their attendant cabling and interconnecting begin to expand seemingly exponentially with the result that the computer network becomes a mish-mash of units interspersed with a spaghetti-like array of twisted wires. This leads to inaccuracies in the computations and frustration in the operators. Where this interconnection problem is left unchecked, the heating problem often arises, bringing about its own problems.
The prior art has done little to solve these problems. The builders of computers strive constantly to make the computer more sleek and aesthetically desirable. Sleekness leads to reduced silhouettes and thinner profiles which leads to more difficulty in providing sufficient air passageways to keep the unit cooled. This teaches away from providing more cooling. In addition, computer manufacturers continue to locate the keyboard interface connection and the off/on power switch at the rear of the unit thereby requiring an area to be set aside about the unit, to reach behind it, to turn the unit on and off, while at the same time requiring longer cables to interconnect the front-mounted keyboard with the rear-mounted plug. None of these designs are useful in solving the heating and complexing problems heretofore described.
Computer manufacturers are moving towards faster processing chips with more bytes per operation. This is an extremely beneficial approach to those who wish to use these PCs for more complex tasks. However, with sleekness in design remaining high on the agenda and rigid rules on location of certain items, the modern computer is not being used to its fullest potential.